Smugglers Cove, Zante © GNTO
The Ionian island of Zante (also called Zakynthos) has been
colourfully billed as 'the green island of poetry, song and love',
mainly because it was the home of Dionysios Solomos, who wrote the
Greek national anthem, 'The Hymn to Liberty'. Arriving in Zante by
ferry is certainly a poetic experience. The picturesque town curves
around a bay dominated by a Venetian Fortress and the St Dennis
Cathedral. Zakinthos town is reminiscent of Venice with its
historic St Mark's Square and Solomos Square, lined by
reconstructed neoclassical buildings. The Solomos mausoleum is also
a museum dedicated to the island's aristocracy of bygone days,
while the Byzantine Museum sports splendid icons and frescoes
salvaged from the island's beautiful medieval churches, destroyed
in the massive earthquake of 1953. The main attraction for
visitors, however, is the triangular shaped island's 57 miles
(92km) of coastline, particularly on the eastern and southern
flanks, which are blessed with beautiful bays. Favourites are the
white sandy beaches of Lagana and Geraka, also renowned for being
the nesting grounds of the Caretta-Caretta sea turtles. Inland the
mountain villages lure holidaymakers away from the beach to sample
some local hospitality, good food and wine and explore monasteries
tucked away among the greenery. Tourism has become the main income
earner for this popular resort island but the rapid development of
infrastructure in recent years has not depleted its traditional
charm. Zante remains pleasantly poetic.
Resorts
See our separate guides to the following Zante holiday resorts: Laganas
Attractions
Blue Caves © Ghost of Kuji
Blue Caves
On the west coast of Zante, near the village of Volimes,
visitors will be enthralled by stunning views of the Blue Caves.
The water in the caves captures and reflects light in every
imaginable shade of blue, a surreal phenomenon to experience. The
caves...
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Byzantine Museum © Travel to Zakynthos
Byzantine Museum
Built shortly after the 1953 earthquake, the Byzantine Museum
exhibits a selection of wooden carvings and paintings, some dating
as far back as the 12th century, as well as Hellenistic, Early
Christian, Byzantine and Post-Byzantine sculptures. There are also
a few utilitarian implements and...
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Loggerhead © Mike Gonzalez (The Coffee)
Marathonisi Island
Marathonisi is a small, turtle-shaped island in Laganas Bay,
completely unspoilt by human inhabitants. There are two main
beaches on this island; the white sands of the larger beach are the
nesting area of the endangered Caretta Caretta (Loggerhead) sea
turtle, and the smaller...
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Shipwreck © Ghost of Kuji
Smugglers Cove Shipwreck
The Smugglers Cove Shipwreck is one of the most popular sights
on Zante, attracting thousands of visitors each year. The
'Panagiotis' was wrecked in 1982 while smuggling a large cargo of
cigarettes and trying to evade a customs patrol in stormy weather.
There is...
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Zante Coastline © slifex
Zante Beaches
The region of Vassilikos has some of the best beaches on the
island and a favourite is St Nicholas, which has great watersports
facilities. Gerakas is also very popular, voted one of Greece's
best beaches. Many of the holiday resorts have their own...
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